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GUYANA, through the National AIDS Program Secretariat (NAPS), has launched programs and initiatives aimed at eliminating HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

As efforts continue, Guyana will join the rest of the world in celebrating World AIDS Day 2024 on December 1, and has planned several activities for the occasion, based on the theme ‘Take the Path to Rights’.

The NAPS is hosting a conference on HIV/AIDS for health professionals today at the Police Training Center. Medical services will also be available for healthcare workers, and there will be testing services for members of the Joint Services. The Flame and Ribbon is also part of the activities list.
The final activity will be the World AIDS Day Walk tomorrow, in collaboration with the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA).
NAPS Program Manager Dr. Tariq Jagnarine stated in a recent edition of “Health Matters” organized by the Ministry of Health that one of the organization’s most important and priority areas is ensuring that the human rights of people living with HIV and AIDS are protected .

He said: “Not recently our national strategic plan, HIVison 2025, has a whole section that talks about human rights, and so we have gone to places to talk about human rights issues, about stigma, about discrimination, to many workplaces, working with the police of Guyana, the Guyana Defense Force, working with men, working with youth, working with workplaces.”

The NAPS head stated that most of the work NAPS is doing for 2024 is streamlined around this year’s theme. He said NAPS was focused on bringing services to communities and ensuring that the services people receive are patient-centered.

He said NAPS, in its efforts to eliminate HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STDs) among Guyanese, especially those most vulnerable to contracting HIV/AIDS, has launched a series of initiatives aimed at increasing raising awareness and promoting sexual health through tailored prevention services.

By implementing differentiated services, NAPS aims to increase awareness of sexual health and encourage preventive measures to reduce the risk of infection.

In 2024, just over 30,000 people would have received PrEP (PrEP for sex bag/“lash bag”), while approximately 6,000 people regularly refill their PrEP. The bag contains a free HIV self-test kit (or oral rapid HIV self-test kit), condoms, lubricants and educational pamphlets and brochures. Another version of the bag offers PrEP medication, which stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention.

In addition, the NAPS also operates a mobile unit day and night for community activities, aimed at vulnerable groups. The mobile unit also provides confidential testing services, ensuring privacy and compliance with guidelines.
In addition to emphasizing their efforts to eliminate AIDS, NAPS continues to provide screening and testing services for HIC and other forms of STDs (syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, among others).

INCREASE ACCESS

Meanwhile, UNAIDS is urging governments to prioritize rights to increase access to HIV services in the Caribbean.

In a press release, the UN agency said that with 100,000 people living with HIV without access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART), UNAIDS urges Caribbean leaders to prioritize rights and diagnose, enroll and enroll more people to take care of.

“UNAIDS notes that steady progress has been made to bring more of the 340,000 people living with HIV into care and treatment, but the pace is worryingly slow.

“In the Caribbean, only seven in 10 people living with HIV are receiving treatment and only six in 10 are virally suppressed. Furthermore, with one in three cases of HIV identified at the stage of advanced HIV disease (AIDS), late diagnosis remains a significant challenge in the region,” the agency said.

UNAIDS noted that stigma and discrimination, harmful laws, policies and operational issues are among the plethora of challenges keeping people living with HIV away from healthcare, and called on health officials to work closely with communities to close the gaps.

“Therefore, as the region prepares to commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1, under the theme Take the Rights Path, it is important that governments recognize that without urgent attention to these critical areas, the Caribbean will not be able to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.3 to achieve, namely ending the fight against AIDS. AIDS epidemic,” the publication said.

“I urge governments and all stakeholders to embrace the path of rights. Let’s break down barriers, promote innovative healthcare solutions and support investments in resilient healthcare systems. Together, through collective action and commitment to human rights, we can achieve an HIV-free Caribbean,” said Dr. Richard Amenyah, UNAIDS Caribbean Director.

Furthermore, the press release said that UNAIDS strongly believes that the Caribbean can end the AIDS epidemic if its leaders revolutionize and scale up access to prevention and treatment, and protect and promote the rights of all those living with or are at risk of HIV.

“Health is a human right. Protecting human rights is therefore non-negotiable in the fight against HIV. Laws and policies should be aligned with public health objectives and promote inclusion rather than exclusion. Self-stigma and fear of discrimination or disclosure of HIV status prevent people from seeking HIV services, resulting in late initiation of treatment or failure to follow up and maintain treatment. Caribbean governments must address the discrimination that continues to deter people from accessing HIV testing, treatment and care,” Amenyah said.